Italo Ferreira, Pipe Master, 2019 world champ may require smuggling into Oahu via Mex.

Pipe Masters tour opener for 2021 season likely (although) Brazilian surfers may have to be smuggled into Oahu via Mexico

A logistical challenge…

The WSL ain’t dead yet.

Since Elo’s major announcement of the new and improved 2021 Tour, Pipe in December has seemed laughable.

Even more so with the recent news of the cancellation of the 2020 Eddie Aikau.

But don’t count out Elo. Oklahomans are a gritty people.

Per Hawaii Governor David Ige, starting October 15, travelers to the state can avoid the mandatory two-week self-quarantine by providing “written confirmation from a State approved COVID-19 testing facility of a negative test result from a test administered to the traveler within 72 hours from the final leg of departure.”

Some great news for those of us still clamoring for professional surfing.

The proclamation is unclear as to the status of international travelers, but according to the CDC, foreign nationals from a variety of countries, including Brazil, France, and Spain, may not enter the United States.

It seems the WSL could get creative and route some of the surfers through a country not on the list (say, Mexico) but considering Elo is the only person in the building, it’s unlikely.

Still, things are trending the right way.

Airlines are getting crafty too. United Airlines recently announced that it would offer passengers flying to Hawaii rapid COVID-19 tests at the airport.

My guess is more will follow.

Maybe a new partnership for the WSL in there, too.

The WSL has shown in recent weeks that it’s still capable of holding events.

And the 2021 Tour is set up well to avoid any COVID related snafus. Through May 2021, all events requiring international travel have at least a two-week buffer between waiting periods, allowing the WSL to brave any potential mandatory two-week quarantines.

Regardless of your opinion of the WSL, the Tour seems a little more feasible than it did a few days ago.

And as much as I’d like to see Lemoore shuttered, I do love professional surfing.

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Kama'aina
Kama'aina
5 years ago

All Hawaii triple crown for the first time in history wouldn’t be bad at all. Every surfer would have to show proof of Hawaii driver license. 20 surfer trials with the winner surfing the main event against the top 23 rated pros.

East of the 5
East of the 5
6 years ago

No need to smuggle the Brazilians. They all live in San Clemente and Carlsbad. They can fly out of San Diego, Palomar Airport, or John Wayne.

Ricky Spanish
Ricky Spanish
6 years ago

Covid was invented to make the Pipe Masters the tour opener

Hobbsy
Hobbsy
6 years ago
Reply to  Ricky Spanish

Is Elo a calculating genius hidden in the body of a VAL?

He has already consolidated surf media – The Inertia, Surfer, and Stab seem to be in cahoots.

Ricky Spanish
Ricky Spanish
6 years ago
Reply to  Hobbsy

Genius? No. Compared to pro surfers and the majority of the surf industry types? Maybe

Doobalachy
Doobalachy
6 years ago

Thankyou

Chief Hot stuff
Chief Hot stuff
6 years ago

I love a straight news story every now and then.
They should just can all the sport like they did during the war.
Until Covid is proven to be bullshit, which won’t be long.
They had the Olympics in 48 in London, with unexploded bombs lying around and noone carried on like spoilt little girls.

Tomas' silky smooth arms
Tomas' silky smooth arms
6 years ago

Not related but very important. Laird Superfoods has been listed today.

Waterproof Polo
Waterproof Polo
6 years ago

Won’t be any of the Oz crew.. We still captives here on the island.
https://www.abc.net.au/news…

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
6 years ago

I went through the process in June to return to Germany in July .

Strange times …. you can’t work (in your chosen field ) , you can’t leave and if you do , you can’t come back ? Reminiscent of East Germany in the 80s .

Chief Hot stuff
Chief Hot stuff
6 years ago

Minus the torture

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
6 years ago

Tell that to the refugees ?

Chief Hot stuff
Chief Hot stuff
6 years ago

I don’t think they’d be heading to a pre1990 east Germany,

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
5 years ago

I was talking about the refugees ones that were denied human rights on Nauru ….. just to show How STRONG IS BORDER FORCE ! seriously, how can 500 people , aspiring to become Australians , represent such a threat to a rich nation of 25,000,000 ..as you know capitalism relies on constant expansion .

Chief Hot stuff
Chief Hot stuff
5 years ago

Cause they skipped over about 10 countries, threw away their ID, They could always go back to the camps and wait patiently like all the others.
Plenty of refugees come here the correct way.

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
5 years ago

It is hard enough being an immigrant never mind being a refugee ? Has your life been so easy that you have no empathy whatsoever for the those worse off ……? Or has it been so hard that you have none left to give ?

Chief Hot stuff
Chief Hot stuff
5 years ago

If you think the dirt poor refugees in camps are cool with the richer queue jumping types cutting in line the I feel you’d be sorely mistaken

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
5 years ago

You are missing the point….empathy ?

Chief Hot stuff
Chief Hot stuff
5 years ago

You’re empathy is misplaced

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
5 years ago

No Bex …. it is all inclusive and has no bounds …. I even love you . …. in a platonic Oz surfer type non creepy way …. giggles

Chief Hot stuff
Chief Hot stuff
5 years ago

You can’t disadvatage people with your boundless empathy, well you can but it would not be helpful

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
5 years ago

Love thine enemy …

Chief Hot stuff
Chief Hot stuff
5 years ago

Just don’t criticize the shit holes they run from. Only criticize the benevolent countries that embrace them. No good deed goes unpunished

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
5 years ago

Criticizing the shit holes they run from is your job brother Bex .

Nick Carroll
Nick Carroll
6 years ago

ah they’ll find a way. Team managers busting a gut on it right now.

there is a good chance Pipe/Maui will move into Jan, so the tour can just keep travelling Hawaii – Portugal and avoid a double quarantine session in Oz. Plus you never know, that q might be more flexible come March.

one thing pretty much guaranteed, the WSL can’t afford another year off. that’s from the actual horse’s mouth.

Hobbsy
Hobbsy
6 years ago
Reply to  Nick Carroll

Pipe/Maui in January would actually make total sense. Only potential issue would be permitting, no?

Waterproof Polo
Waterproof Polo
6 years ago
Reply to  Nick Carroll

If that cunt could go os to sail his luxurious yacht home, surely people trying to maintain a career and providing us entertainment qualifies!
Hoping you’re right Nick. Not seeing Hawaii comps this year is gonna suck. Maybe they could do an all Hawaiian series?

Nick Carroll
Nick Carroll
5 years ago

ha ha Vans were “reaching out” to people for ideas about the triple crown and I suggested exactly that, just have locals only events and run ’em like the Eddie event or like the original NthShore events: the whole thing done in one day, best day in a two week window for each spot, live webcast, no spectators. They were like “oh this is great!” then disappeared. lol

Waterproof Polo
Waterproof Polo
5 years ago
Reply to  Nick Carroll

Great minds Nick!

Eddie Haiku
Eddie Haiku
5 years ago
Reply to  Nick Carroll

The horse has a mouth?
Here we all were thinking that
It had two arseholes

Chazz Michael Michaels
Chazz Michael Michaels
6 years ago

BORING.

NEGATRON
NEGATRON
6 years ago

Any greasy emails from Ash this week?

Waterproof Polo
Waterproof Polo
6 years ago
Reply to  NEGATRON

He’s probably lubin’ one up rn.

Chazz Michael Michaels
Chazz Michael Michaels
6 years ago
Reply to  NEGATRON

Haha. Fish all you like, I’m not biting!

Mainly cause there’s nowt to tell really…

Wilbur
Wilbur
6 years ago
Reply to  NEGATRON

He’s busy producing super great things like this:

https://stabmag.com/style/t…

Tomas' silky smooth arms
Tomas' silky smooth arms
6 years ago

Yep, didn’t laugh once reading it…until the comments.

Wilbur
Wilbur
6 years ago

You still read the articles?

Tomas' silky smooth arms
Tomas' silky smooth arms
6 years ago
Reply to  Wilbur

Haaa, skim read looking for laughs.

Hobbsy
Hobbsy
6 years ago

Ah, you’re getting lazy. Or my writing is improving. I’ll go with the latter.

Chazz Michael Michaels
Chazz Michael Michaels
6 years ago
Reply to  Hobbsy

Not lazy, rather succinct.

Dull subject, dull writing.

Hobbsy
Hobbsy
6 years ago

You’ve really ruined Will Ferrell for me.

GiGi
GiGi
6 years ago

I miss Lewis Samuels Power Rankings ….. never forget when he said Jadson Andre “surfs like a baby giraffe on roller skates…. all elbows and crooked knees”…. pretty much the best shit ever…..

c4
c4
6 years ago
Reply to  GiGi

Shapers alley as well.

GiGi
GiGi
6 years ago
Reply to  c4

Yeah man….. before I bought ANY board I went there….. BeachGrit bled them out…. I’m leaving ……

c4
c4
6 years ago
Reply to  GiGi

where’s the quality content any more? Get off your fucking asses surf journos and do something.

astro
astro
6 years ago

Hobo, me boy, WSL exists because of magnanimity of Dirk Ziff.
He’s prolly stoked right now coz the $$$+$$$$$$ sucking black hole has stopped for the moment.

Unrelated – but did you know that the gallant region known as French Polynesia Tahiti is forecast to have 100,000 cases of Covid by years end ?
That’s one third of their population. They abolished quarantine and opened their borders to Europe and US end of August.
I hope Hawaii doesn’t suffer a similar outlook because remote capitalists want their fucken hotels filled.

NEGATRON
NEGATRON
6 years ago
Reply to  astro

Shit, that’s a science experiment and a half!

astro
astro
6 years ago
Reply to  NEGATRON

Unreal, ay ?
Went from fuckall to around 420 in less than a month.
They have around 60 ICU berths in Papeete.

Chief Hot stuff
Chief Hot stuff
6 years ago
Reply to  astro

They probly know something you don’t, probly a lotta things actually

astro
astro
6 years ago

Pfffttt.
Be a smart cunt by all means but don’t be a wilful dumb cunt, bex.

Chief Hot stuff
Chief Hot stuff
6 years ago
Reply to  astro

We will see, smarty fuk

channelbottom
channelbottom
6 years ago

One word Charlie, one word:
Cocaine Submarines

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
6 years ago
Reply to  channelbottom

Cocaine Suppositories , might be a pain in the arse , but perhaps somewhat easier to insert ?

channelbottom
channelbottom
6 years ago

Just think of all those single-use narco-subs rotting in various parts of Florida.

Go salvage them, get’em primed full of fuel, pack’em full of Igrashies and what have you, and set them off on a course for DA NORF SHORE (announcer’s voice)

Mapski
Mapski
6 years ago
Reply to  channelbottom

That’s two words. Let’s just stick with cocaine if its a one word option.

channelbottom
channelbottom
6 years ago
Reply to  Mapski

Two words for you; binary, couple, pair, double.

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
6 years ago

Well the current world and pipe masters Champ , Italo , came from Brazil , to France and now on his way to Portugal so unless he has Kelly’s Super Power Passport issued from his organization , One Surfer without Borders , then things a going to be some what ….. difficult …. unless they take cash donations ?

Tom
Tom
6 years ago

my mate said today – indo wife and family – so many europeans in Bali – maskless no quarantine while the locals all in masks!!!

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
6 years ago
Reply to  Tom

And if the Europeans get sick , they will fly home to 1st World Medical Care ….

Tom
Tom
6 years ago

What about if I’ve got access to Covid killing product that could spray planes and we all could travel – can i schmoozed by the WSL: I know they are viewing – Elo get my details from Derek – call me bro!!!
Just TGA listed here in Oz,kills Covid guess can be applied globally – that’s the aim!!
Couple this with 15min test below and we are all away!!!

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
6 years ago
Reply to  Tom

Like the crop dusting old spray they used to use on planes when you arrived in Oz , blinding one and all as they attempted to fill in the immigration and custom cards .

Tom
Tom
6 years ago

yep can fog it exactly

Chief Hot stuff
Chief Hot stuff
6 years ago
Reply to  Tom

I bet a glass pipe full of ice would ease the symptoms
It’s a natural decongestant you know

Gino
Gino
6 years ago

Heard on the radio today about a new test that takes 15 minutes to get results.
Could be used in this case for sure.

Waterproof Polo
Waterproof Polo
6 years ago
Reply to  Gino

Oh man, bring that shit ON!


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